Glam Rockers Redefine Stagnating 70s Scene
Colorful Musos like Bowie and Slade Re-Insert Glitter into Rock
Aug 19, 2008
The Beatles were gone, the Rolling Stones were stuttering and the music world was badly in need of a facelift. Along came Glam Rock and the artists that would end up influencing many who arrived in their wake. It is time to examine a few of the more recognizable names of the Glam Rock era.
Slade
Slade formed as a four-piece outfit in 1966. Fronted by the enigmatic Noddy Holder, the Wolverhampton band surged to prominence in the early 1970s as one of the most recognizable names of the Glam Rock era. After switching from a skinhead image to the poncy image for which they are best remembered,
Slade gate-crashed the UK Charts with a vengeance. Between 1971 and 1974 they featured in the UK Top 5 on no less than 12 occasions, with 6 of these releases reaching no. 1. They are possibly best remembered for their festive season anthem, Merry Xmas Everybody, which has re-entered the UK Charts on no fewer than ten occasions since initially hitting the top spot in 1973.
David Bowie
David Robert Jones first rose to prominence in 1969 when his space-age single Space Oddity achieved Top 5 status in the UK. After a 3 year hiatus from the charts he re-emerged with a new vigor, image and an alter-ego. Ziggy Stardust captured the imagination of many and a rock legend was born. Bowie experienced huge success during the 70s, with 10 top 5 albums and 6 top 5 singles.
It wasn’t until the re-release of Space Oddity in 1975 that David Bowie would hit no. 1 though. With a bi-sexual image and incredible stage presence, he has become one of the most enduring faces in Rock. Bowie's album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is widely recognized as one of the definitive albums of the Glam Rock era.
Roxy Music
Ceramics teacher Bryan Ferry formed Roxy Music in 1972 and, with the assistance of rockers King Crimson , secured a recording contract with E.G. Records. Now-legendary producer Brian Eno joined the band and they released their self-titled debut album during the same year to critical acclaim, with the release reaching no. 1 in the UK before year end. Their debut single Virginia Plain reached no. 4 on the singles chart and Roxy Music had arrived.
They ended the 70s with 6 Top 10 singles in the U.K. and released possibly their most definitive album, Avalon, shortly after the decade change. Ferry continued into the 80s and 90s as a highly successful solo artist and Roxy Music became recognizable not only as Glam Rock icons, but also as one of the pioneers of the 80s New Romantic era.
Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter was christened Paul Francis Gadd and although Protestant, was brought up in a strict Catholic environment. He released his first single under the pseudonym Paul Raven in 1960 before being signed a year later by Parlophone Records under the production of George Martin, who would sign The Beatles a year later. He adopted the name Gary Glitter as Glam Rock started growing in popularity in 1971.
Fame struck suddenly with the release of the A and B side single Rock and Roll, Parts One and Two which reached no. 2 on the UK Chart whilst also achieving Top 10 status in USA. Glitter went on to garner a total of 11 top ten singles during the 70s, with 2 reaching the top of the charts. In 1999 Gary Glitter was arrested and convicted of possession of child pornography, tainting his reputation.
Others who made their mark during the Glam Rock era included Marc Bolan & T-Rex, Mott the Hoople, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, David Essex and Elton John, all of whom left an indelible mark on the music industry. Glam rock fashioned a path for a lot of later musical sub-genres which cements its place as an important part of musical history.
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